Sutter Health receives a lot of feedback on social media and review channels every day, but it’s always great to see the positive examples of people impacting our customers’ experience, even in the smallest ways. It makes an even bigger difference when that culture is reinforced by our leaders. Below is a letter about the service a visitor received from Chuck Prosper, CEO at Alta Bates Summit.

“My partner and I were visiting my cousin at Alta Bates Summit in Oakland when I asked a friendly and responsive security guard for wheelchair assistance. The guard immediately said no problem and he called out to another staff person: “Chuck, would you mind getting these people a wheelchair please?” Chuck moved quickly to retrieve a wheelchair, brought it to my partner, made sure he was situated in the chair and walked us around to the elevator and pushed the button for us. Very nice, I thought.

After our visit we returned to the lobby to give the wheelchair back and the security guard pointedly said to me, “You know that guy Chuck who helped you with the wheelchair? He’s the CEO of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center.” The guard and I looked at each other for a second and then I asked the guard, “Chuck has obviously made you feel very comfortable and secure for you to just ask him to do ‘stuff’ and the guard replied, “Oh yeah, he’s a really cool guy.” Cool guy indeed. When the CEO of one of the two primary hospital systems in this area responds to a security guard asking him to get a wheelchair for a visitor and there isn’t even a drop of a hint of hierarchy or acknowledgement that Chuck, the cool guy is CEO, that’s impressive work on behalf of the leadership at Alta Bates Summit.”

Pat Gardner thought she knew what it felt like to be a patient, lying in a hospital bed with a serious or even life-threatening illness. In her 50 years as a nurse, she had provided compassionate care to thousands of patients, and attentive support to their families. She was proud of her work and always gave it her best.

“We are so very grateful to the entire care team that has taken such great care of us,” Summer says. “As scary and overwhelming as the whole experience has been, we’ve had a lot of calming moments because we know Walter and Miles are in the best of hands.” Read More about Grateful Parents Talk About Their Leap Day Twins

A new treatment option, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), can be beneficial for patients at high risk for open heart surgery. This minimally invasive procedure allows replacing the aortic valve without open heart surgery.

A catheter is placed through a small incision in the groin or in the arteries in the upper left side of the chest. This catheter is used to deliver a new aortic valve to the heart.

The procedure is generally done with conscious sedation, which is easier on the patient and shortens recovery time. Many patients go home on the second day after surgery. There are no scars on the chest.

Mitul Kadakia, M.D.

TAVR has been studied in large numbers of high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis, showing excellent results and favorable outcomes. It is supported by major medical society guidelines. (2014 AHA/ACC Guideline for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease http://circ.ahajournals.org/ content/129/23/e521.full)

Is TAVR Right for You?

If you have been diagnosed with aortic stenosis, talk to your cardiologist to find out whether TAVR is appropriate for you.

Mitul Kadakia, M.D., is a Sutter Health affiliated cardiologist at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and part of the Alta Bates Summit Heart Team along with Drs. David Daniels and Russell Stanten. Together, they have performed more than 140 TAVR procedures with outcomes that have exceeded national benchmarks. To learn more, visit altabatessummit.org/heart or contact us at 510-869-6700.

A: Too often, women are unaware that coronary artery disease is a serious health risk and don’t get evaluated for heart disease, even though it could save their lives. Chest pain is a common symptom in men and women, but they often experience it differently.

Men tend to feel sharp chest pain during physical exertion, while in women, chest pain may occur with exertion or with emotional stress alone. Women also may experience unexplained fatigue or shortness of breath.

On average, women develop coronary artery disease 10 years later than men. This may be due to the protective role estrogen is thought to play in preventing heart disease. With menopause, estrogen levels drop, which may place women at greater risk for the disease.

Although men and women can have high LDL cholesterol, women naturally have higher levels of the “good” HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol than men, which helps remove the “bad” LDL cholesterol from arteries. So, low HDL levels in women are a serious risk factor for heart disease.

Vindhya Hindnavis M.D.

African-American and Latina/Hispanic women have a greater prevalence of certain risk factors.

The Basics of Coronary Artery Disease

This type of heart disease occurs when fat and cholesterol, known as plaque, build up in the vessels that supply blood to the heart. The plaque narrows the blood vessels, which reduces the flow of blood. Most heart attacks occur when a blood clot forms on the plaque and cuts off the blood supply to the heart.

What’s Your Risk?

Common risk factors include:

Smoking

High blood pressure

High LDL cholesterol

Low HDL cholesterol

Diabetes

Lack of exercise

Stress Test Often Used to Diagnose

A cardiac stress test is often used to diagnose coronary artery disease by monitoring the heart’s electrical activity and pumping performance. However, even when their hearts are healthy, women are more likely than men to show irregularities during cardiac stress tests. This can create a false positive for heart disease, so doctors also use an imaging test to confirm the results of stress tests in women.

If you are diagnosed with the disease, many effective medications and interventions are equally successful in men and women.

How to Keep Your Heart Healthy

Prevent a heart attack by catching heart disease before symptoms begin. Have your cholesterol and blood pressure levels checked regularly beginning at age 45. You can also reduce your risk for coronary artery disease by

Vaccinations: Check to see if your child is missing any required immunizations. Also ask about immunizations that are recommended but not required, such as the flu vaccine.

Emergency contact information: Your child’s school should have up-to-date emergency numbers, including the contact information for you and your pediatrician as well as a list of your child’s medications, physical impairments and medical conditions.

Child passenger safety: Buckling children in age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats and seat belts reduce serious and fatal injuries by more than half.

Pedestrian safety: Children 9 or younger should always cross the street with an adult. The safest place for your child to cross the street is at a street corner or intersection. At any street crossing, before stepping off the curb, your child should stop and look left-right-left to see if any cars are coming.

Backpack tips: Carrying a backpack shouldn’t be a workout for your child. Pack the bag as lightly as possible, with heavier items in the center compartment. The load should never be more than 10% to 20% of her body weight. Backpacks with wheels are a good option.

Hand washing: Prevent the spread of germs at school. Teach your child proper hand washing technique: Rub hands together with soap under warm running water for at least 20 seconds. Remind your kids to cough and sneeze into their sleeves and send them to school with antiviral hand gel to use frequently.

Sleep schedule: A lack of sleep can negatively affect school performance. Be sure to get your kids on a regular sleep schedule. Limit nighttime TV, video games, cell phone chats or anything that prevents your child from getting a good night’s rest.